Wake Up Early: 4 Steps

3- Get up and stay up

Whatever you have to do to get out of bed, do it. Put the alarm clock across the room. Set the timer on the coffee maker to start brewing. Run to the bathroom to relieve yourself and jump in the shower. The hardest part of the morning mountain climb is taking that first step out of bed.

Don’t let that little voice start whispering, “Just 10 more minutes.” Ten more minutes are never enough: they will turn into another 10. Don’t hit snooze, just get up the first time. Whatever you do, don’t crawl back into bed once you’ve gotten out, no matter how inviting.

4- Establish a routine

Even if you’re only using these techniques so that you don't miss a flight, it’s best if you establish a routine in the days leading up to it. Make coffee, pour a glass of orange juice, brush your teeth, get into the shower: whatever works for you, just make sure you do it in the same order every morning. That way you’ll get into the day without having to think about it.

Also, use an alarm clock with battery backup to ensure a power outage doesn’t mess up your schedule. If you can, stick to your routine even on weekends — though we acknowledge that takes a lot of willpower.